Governor



Mrch 10, 1959 w, MALEK| 2,876,792

GOVERNOR Filed June 18. 1954 2 Sheets-Shet l ji "x y Wil Lum v B E E" March 10, 1959 vw, MALE-cm 2,876,792

GOVERNOR Filed June 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IWENTOR. w M70/J /Yl/zzn proved velocity type 2,876,792 Patented -Mar. 10, 1 959 GOVERNOR Witold Malecki, Ann Arbor, Mich., assignor to King- Seeley Corporation, Ann Arbor, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 18, 1954, Serial No. 437,804 1 Claim. (Cl. 137-482) This invention relates to governors and, more particularly, to an improved velocity or mixture flow type governor for controlling the speed of an internal combustion engine on an automotive vehicle.

An object of the invention is to overcome disadvantages in prior governors of the indicated character and to provide an improved velocity or mixture flow type governor which prevents the engine of an automotive vehicle from exceeding a predetermined maximum speed and which operates quickly and eiciently in response to changes in speed and load on the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved velocity type governor which is compact; which occupies a minimum of space in the engine fuel induction system; and which may be installed in the fuel induction system of an internal combustion engine without modifying or otherwise disturbing the engine throttle linkage.

Another object of the invention is to provide an imgovernor incorporating improved means which reduces the tendency of the governor to hunt to a minimum; which substantially prevents throttle cheat; and which reduces the turbulence in the engine fuel induction system to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved governor that is economical to manufacture, durable, eiicient and reliable in operation, and which may be assembled and disassembled with a minimum of labor and expense, thereby reducing the cost of servicing and repairing the governor to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved governor incorporating improved means which permits the governor throttle plate to swing through its full range of movement when the engine is operated at relatively low speeds or at reduced powerv and whichl facilitates a balanced ilow cylinders of the engine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved governor incorporating improved means which enables the governor to be easily and quickly adjusted of the fuel/ air mixture to all to limit the speed of an internal combustion engine to any desired predetermined value. p

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved governor which may be installed on an internal combustion engine without disturbing the operation of the carburetor fuel economizer and without disturbing the operation of the automatic spark control mechanism.

The above as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, away, of a governor constructed in present invention, showing the same ate the carburetor and the intake ternal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional top plan view of the governor with portions broken accordance with the installed intermedimanifold of an iny illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 2 2 thereof and erally designated 16, mounted'in the vehicle fuel induction system intermedi-- looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the governor illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional top plan view of a portion of i the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 4 4 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the portion of the governor illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 5 5 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the governor illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 6 6 thereof;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the governor illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 7 7 thereof; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the governor illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 8 8 thereof.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, a carburetor and an intake manifold, generally designated 12 and 14, respectively, are shown, which may be considered to be a part of the fuel induction system of an internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle, although it will be understood that the present invention is applicable to other uses. The curburetor 12 includes an outlet conduit 13 which is substantially circular in cross-section and fromv which the fuel mixture emanates, while the intake manifold 14 defines a conduit 15 which is substantially circular in cross-section and through which the fuel mixture is distributed to the engine cylinders.

According to the present invention, a governor, genis provided which is adapted to be ate the carburetor 12 and the intake manifold 14. The governor 16 'is comprised of a body 18 that denes a passageway 20 which is open at each endand which, in cross-section, is preferably shaped in the form of a compressed circle, as shown in Fig. 2, the cross-sectional area of the passageway 20 being less than the cross-sectional area of the conduits 13 and 15. As shown in Fig. 3, the body 18 is relatively thin and the body 18 may be interposed intermediate the mounting flanges 22 and 24 of the carburetor 12 and the intake manifold 14, respectively, so as to occupy a minimum of space and without requiring alteration of the engine throttle linkage, the body 18 being secured to the flanges 22 and 24, as by bolts 25. By way of example, the body 18 may be installed in the space normally occupied by the heat insulator conventionally provided between the carburetor and the intake manifold of an automotive vehicle.

A throttle plate 26 is provided which is fixed to a shaft 28, the longitudinal axis of the shaft 28 extending transversely of the passageway 20 in a direction Substantially parallel with the major axis of the passageway 20 and being offset with respect to the major axis of the passageway 20. The throttle plate 26 is also oiset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 28 so that the portion of the throttle plate with the greatest area extends away frorn the intake manifold 14 and` upstream with respect to the flow of the fuel mixture. With such a construction, the forces exerted` on the throttle plate 26 by the passage of the fuel mixture through the passageway 20 tend to move the throttle plate toward the closed position. Since the cross-sectional area of the passageway 20 is less than the cross-sectional area of the outlet conduit 13 of the carburetor, such a` construction permits the governor throttle plate 26 to swing thron'gh its full range of movement when the engine is operated at relatively low speeds or at thereby facilitating a balanced flow of the fuel mixture to all cylinders of the engine. Since the minor crosssectional diameter of the passageway 20 is substantially lless than the major diameter thereof, the clearance` ,re-

quired for the throttle plate is reduced to a minimum with the result that the body 18 may be relatively thin, as previously mentioned. One end portion of the shaft 28 is journaled for oscillation in 'a needle-type roller bearing 30 mounted in a bore 31 provided in the body 18, the outer end of the bore being closed lby a suitable closure plate 33. The opposite end portion of the shaft 28 extends through an opening 32 in the body 18 and is journaled for oscillation in a needle-type roller bearing 34 mounted in a boss 35 provided on a housing 36, the housing 36 being fixed to the body 18, as by screws 38 and 40.

The forces exerted on the throttle plate 26 by the passage of the fuel mixture through the passageway 20 tend to vary non-linearly in value as the throttle plate changes position, and in order to balance the closing forces exerted on the throttle plate, at governed speed, in all positions, a reactance mechanism is provided which is disposed in an open sided compartment 42 defined by the housing 36. The reactance mechanism is comprised of a cam 44 which is ixed to the shaft 28 at a position adjacent the bearing 34, the conlguration of the surface 46 of the cam being determined by the characteristics of the particular engine with which the governor is associated. One end of a flexible tape 48 is xed to the cam 44, as at 50. The tape 48 extends over the cam surface 46 and the distal end of the tape 48 is fixed to one end of a coil'spring 52 while the convolutions of the opposite end portion of the spring 52 threadably engage the head 53 of an adjusting screw 54. With such a construction, the force exerted by the spring is applied through varying radii to resist the non-linear closing effort of the throttle plate 26.

The adjusting screw 54 also includes a threaded shank portion 56 which in the housing 36 at a position adjacent one end of the compartment 42. The shank portion 56 threadably engages a nut 58 and the nut 58, in turn, is rotatably mounted in a bore 62 provided in the housing 36 intermediate the chamber 60 and the compartment 42, longitudinal movement of the nut 58 being prevented by any suitable means. With such a construction, rotation of the nut 58 effects longitudinal movement of the screw 54 so as to vary the tension of the spring S2 while rotation of the screw 54 effects movement of the threaded head portion 53 of the screw relative to the convolutions of the spring, thereby varying both the tension and the spring rate. The outer end portion of the chamber 60 is closed by a cover assembly 66 which may be secured to the housing 36 by any suitable means, as for example by a wire 67 which extends through a plurality of circum.- ferentially spaced openings 68 provided in the peripheral flange portion of the cover assembly 66, the openings 68 being adapted to mate with openings 70 provided in the adjacent end portion of the housing 36. The free ends of the'wire 67 may be secured by a conventional sealing member 74 to prevent unauthorized adjustment of the screw 54 and the nut 58. v

The compartment 42 is closed by a closure member 76l which is secured to the body 36, as by screws 78. In order to insure that the pressure in the compartment 42 will be substantially atmospheric pressure when the closure member 76 is in place, a plurality of vent openings 80 are provided in the back wall of the housing 36, the openings 80 being disposed between the planes ofy the top and bottom surfaces of the body 18, and at a position adjacent the junction of the body 18 with the housing 36. With such a construction, the openings 80 are protected from oil, dirt and other debris normally present adjacent an internal combustion engine. In order to filter the air passing through the openings 80, a filter 84 is provided which is disposed adjacent the inner surface of the back wall 82 of the housing 36 so as to cover the openings 80.

felt, liber glass vork other suitable material', and the reisV disposed in a chamber 60v provided The tilter 84 may Ibe formed of 4 placement of the lilter 84 may be easily and quickly effected by removing the closure member 76.

For the purpose of stabilizing the throttle plate 26 and to prevent throttle cheat, a piston 86 is provided which is reciprocally mounted in a bore 88 provided in the housing 36 at a position remote from the chamber 60, the outer end of the bore 88 being sealed 'by a plug 89 retained by any suitable or conventional means. One end of a piston rod 90 is fixed to the piston 86, as at 92. The piston rod 90 extends through an opening 94 provided in a transverse wall 96 of the housing 36 and the opposite end portion of the piston rod 90 is provided with a recess 98 adapted to receive an arm 100 of an actuating member 102. The arm 100 is integrally joined to a pair of arms 104 and 106 which are fixed to the cam 44 on opposite sides of the shaft 28. With such a construction, longitudinal movement of the piston 86 toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, etects rotation of the shaft 28 in a direction to move the throttle plate 26 toward the closed position, while movement of the piston toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, effects rotation of the shaft 28 in a direction to move the throttle plate 26 toward the open position. The rod end portion of the bore 88 is connected with the chamber 42 by the opening 94 in the wall 96 while the head end of the bore 88 communicates with the passageway 20 on the downstream side of the throttle plate 26, such communication being eifected through ducts 106, 108 and the annular groove 110 which is provided in the back wall 82 of the housing 36 and which encompasses the screw 40, and ducts 112 and 114 in the body 18. With such a construction, an increase in the vacuum on the downstream side of the throttle plate 26 effects an increase in the vacuum at the head end of the bore 88 with the result that the piston 86 tends to move' toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 2. As the piston moves to the right, the distal end of the piston rod 90 engages the arm 100 of the actuating member 102 so as to move the arm 100 toward the right, as viewed 1n Fig. 2, thereby etfecting a clockwise rotation of the shaft 28, as viewed in Fig. 1, and moving the throttle plate tion. Since the piston is actuated by the vacuum downstream of the throttle plate 26, such a construction substantially prevents throttle cheat. Such a construction also enables the piston to assist the forces exerted onv by the tiow of the fuel mixture,

the throttle plate 26 through the passageway 20 to move the throttle plate toward the closed position and at the same time provides a stabilizing effect on the throttle plate 26 because of the dashpot action of the piston 86, thereby reducing hunting of the governor to a minimum. It will be noted that the piston 86, the piston rod 90 and the actuating member .l02are positioned in outwardly spaced relationship with respect to the passageway 20 and completely outside of the fuel induction system thereby reducing the turbulence in the passageway tion system to a minimum and increasing the eiiiciency of the governor. It will also be noted that the housing 36 including the reactance mechanism and the pistonl assembly are detachably secured to the body 18 by the and the throttle plate assembly may be manufactured and assembled to tit the carburetor and intake manifold of the particular engine on which the governor is to be installed, and the housing assembly may be used interchangeably with a wide variety of bodies 18 as well as with a wide variety of engines, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing and assembling the governor to a mini mum.

For the purpose of providing a relatively rich fuel/ air mixture to the engine under certain load conditions and to provide a relatively lean mixture when the engine is operated under a relatively light load, the carburetor. 12 maybe equipped Vwith a vacuum economizer (notk shown) which operates as a function of the vacuum in the intake 26 toward the closed posi- 2t) and the fuel inducmanifold 14. In order that such a vacuum economizer may function properly, a bypass passageway 116 is provided in the body 18 of the governor, the bypass passageway 116 extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passageway 20. One end of the bypass passageway 116 is connected to a radially inwardly extending groove 118 in the surface 119 of the body 18, the groove 11S communicating with passageway 20 at a position downstream of the throttle plate 26. The opposite end of the passageway 116 is connected to a groove 120 in the surface 122 of the body 18, the groove 120 extending around the passageway 20 in radially outwardly spaced relationship with respect thereto. When the governor 16 is installed intermediate the carburetor 12 and the intake manifold 14, the groove 120 is aligned with a duct conventionally provided in the carburetor 12 and leading to the carburetor vacuum economizer, with the result that the pressure in the intake manifold 14, downstream of the throttle plate 26, is communicated to the vacuum economizer through the groove 118, the passageway 116 and the groove 120 thereby permitting the vacuum economizer to function properly when the governor throttle plate 26 is controlling the engine speed as well as when the carburetor throttle is controlling the engine speed.

For the purpose of providing a retarded spark when the engine is idling or operating under a heavy load, and an advanced spark for relatively high speed operation of the engine, the engine may be provided with an automatic vacuum spark control mechanism (not shown). As is well understood by those skilled in the art, the regulation of the spark control mechanism is determined by the position of the carburetor throttle valve relative to an nriice in the carburetor throat. The orifice in the carburetor throat communicates with a chamber on one side of a diaphragm and the diaphragm, in turn, is connected to the distributor of the engine so that the distributor retards or advances the spark as a functionof the conditions existing at the oriiice in the carburetor throat. In order that the automatic spark control mechanism may function properly when the governor 16 is controlling the speed of the engine, as well as when the carburetor is controlling the speed of the engine, an automatic transfer valve mechanism, generally designated 124, is provided. The transfer valve mechanism 124 is comprised of a spring biased valve 126 which is re- Y, ciprocally mounted in a bore 128 provided in the body 18,

the outer end of the bore 128 being sealed by a plug 129 retained by any suitable or conventional means. The valve 126 includes a body portion 130, a reduced diameter shank portion 132 and a valve head portion 134, the body 130 being adapted to closely t the inner end portion of the bore 12S while the valve head portion 134 is adapted to seat against a shoulder 136 provided in the bore 128 at a position near, but spaced from, the outer end thereof. The end portion of the bore 128 adjacent the body portion 130 of the valve 126 is connected to the passageway 20 at a position upstream with respect to the throttle plate 26 by a duct 138 while the opposite end of the bore 128 is connected to the passageway 20 at a position downstream with respect to the throttle plate 26 by a duct 140. A pair of vacuum lines 142 and 144 are provided, one end of the line 142 being connected to the central portion of the bore 128 while the opposite end of the line 142 is connected to the oriiice in the throat of the carburetor 12. One end of the line 144 is connected to the central portion of the bore 128 at a position axially spaced from the line 142 while the opposite end of the line 144 is connected to a conventional diaphragm housing 146.

In the operation of the spark control transfer mechanism, the pressure at the orifice in the carburetor throat controls the spark as long as the carburetor controls the engine speed. However, when the governor 16 controls the engine speed, the vacuum produced in the passageway 20 on the downstream side of the governor throttle plate 26 causes a reduction of the pressure in the end of the bore 128 adjacent the duct 140. Since the pressure in the passageway 20 on the upstream side of the throttle plate 26 is higher than the pressure on the downstream side of the throttle plate 26 when the governor is controlling the engine speed, the pressure in the end portion of the bore 128 adjacent the duct 138 is greater than the pressure in the end of the bore 128 adjacent the duct 140. Consequently, the valve 126 moves longitudinally of the bore 128 in a direction toward the duct 140 so that the valve head portion 134 moves away from the valve seat 136, thereby connecting the line 144 to the passageway 20 through the bore 128 and the duct 140 so that the pressure in the passageway 20 on the downstream side of the throttle plate 26 is applied to the diaphragm. At the same time, the body portion of the valve 126 closes the end of the line 142 which communicates with the bore 128, so that the pressure at the orifice in the carburetor throat is not communicated to the diaphragm. When the engine speed is controlled by the carburetor throttle valve, the pressure in the passageway 20 is substantially the vsame at the ducts 138 and 140 with the result that the spring biased valve 126 moves longitudinally of the passageway 128 toward the duct 138, thereby opening the end of the line 142 adjacent the bore 128 and seating the valve head portion 134 against the valve seat 136 so that the pressure at the duct 140 is not communicated to the line 144.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and modications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A combination of a governor and a carburetor, said carburetor having a fuel outlet conduit, said governor comprising a relatively thin body detning a fuel passageway adapted to be aligned with said conduit, said passageway in cross-section, being oblong and the cross-sectional area of said passageway being less than the cross-sectional area of said conduit, a shaft extending transversely of said passageway in spaced substantially parallel relationship with respect to the major axis of said passageway, and an unbalanced oblong throttle plate mounted in said passageway and lixed to said shaft, portions of said plate of unequal area projecting outwardly on opposite sides of said shaft and projecting beyond both ends of the passageway when said throttle plate is in the fully opened position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,569,503 Kurtz Jan. 12, 1926 1,878,721 Singer Sept. 20, 1932 2,052,401 Klemm ..-l Aug. 25, 1936 2,058,160 Larsen Oct. 20, 1936 2,100,805 Hufford Nov. 30, 1937 2,170,744 Adler Aug. 22, 1939 2,170,974 Parkins Aug. 29, 1939 2,187,652 Jennings Ian. 16, 1940 2,287,036 Huiord lune 23, 1942 2,337,311 Condosta Dec. 21, 1943 2,643,672 Laubach June 30, 1953 

